Finding Amanda
by dtown2013
Summary: Special Agent Don Eppes has a six year old daughter who went missing on her 2 birthday. What will happen when years later Amanda comes across her own picture on a missing child's website?
1. Chapter 1: Amanda

**ATTENTION THE TIME LINE ON NUMBERS MOVED UP A FEW YEARS. CHANGES WILL BE MADE BECAUSE OF AMANDA. ALSO I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS ONLY AMANDA AND BRENNA. ALL THE OTHERS ARE OWNED BY THE PEOPLE WHO OWN NUMB3RS**

****FINDING AMANDA****

**Summary: **Special Agent Don Eppes has a four year old daughter who goes missing on her birthday. She was taken by mother who had not ever met Amanda before that day. What will happen when years later Amanda comes across her own picture on a missing child's website? and what has dons family been hiding from him all these years

****Prologue:****

Don Eppes and Brenna O'Connor had been going out for 2 years now and their relationship was coming to a close because of how different their futures were. Don had over 2 dozen scholarships from schools wanting him to play baseball for them and then he was hopefully going off to the pros. Brenna was going to move down to Miami Florida to be closer to her parents who had moved during the school year but she wanted to finish out school here and then she was planning on being a doctor. So it was almost the end of the school year and as the year closed so did their relationship and since neither wanted to leave high school a virgin they had decided that they would make prom night extra special. So prom came and went and now it was 3 months later that Brenna's world stopped with one stick.

****Chapter 1: Amanda****

**_(Brenna)_**

My pulse is threading, beads of sweat are hovering on my forehead as I stood there on the sidewalk corner staring up at the Las Angeles street sign that reads "Magnolia Street". All around me were happy families living their perfect lives as I stand there tattered, tainted and lost in my own life.

Hi my name is Brenna Raylyn O'Connor, I am eighteen years old and my life has come to a complete standstill. I have never planned on going through this obstacle this early in my life. I mean I always planned on doing so many things before I even thought of having a child and I know that the thought has never even crossed my boyfriend's mind, so how am I going to tell him. He just graduated high school and he has his whole life ahead of him and a child would be a huge distraction. I have already decided that I want nothing to do with it but I can't kill my unborn child so I only have so many options and if he doesn't want it then it will either be adopted or put into the foster care system_._

I blink and look down. I stand there watching the shadow of the trees dance on the sidewalk and wonder to myself where would I be if I had not done what I did. I know for a fact that I would not be standing on this blistering street corner trying to come up a solution to my problem without having to come clean to anybody. A bead of sweat rolls down my face, passes my mouth and lingers on my chin for a moment before if drops down onto the blistering concrete. The moment the drop of liquid hits the blistering concrete there is a sizzling sound. The news said last night that the temperature would reach about 105 degrees Fahrenheit before noon which makes this the third day in a row that the temperature was in the three digit mark.

As I look up the wind blows a cool relaxing summer breeze through my hair as I close my eyes and take a deep breath my nose is filled with the sweet scent of Magnolias. As I breathe in the sweet scent the world around me disappears and I am sent into my own paradise where I know who I am I know what I want and I am perfectly safe and happy. When I open my eyes my safe and secure paradise is gone and the scary, unpredictable world comes back into focus along with what I have to do.

As I try to decide on what to do I think about my boyfriend Don he's tall about 5"9 he has short black hair, sweet chocolate brown eyes, a smile that can light up the world, he weighs about 120 and he has this puppy dog look that gets me every time. I mean this decision would be a lot easier if he wasn't so perfect, I would just move to Miami, Florida with my parents and give the kid up for adoption but I knew if he found out later he would hate me for not letting him decide. Then I remembered something my mother told me about her child hood. _She was in foster care until she was nine years old that is when the state of California located her father. He told the social worker that came to his house that he had made many mistakes in his younger years but he would never in a million years abandon his child._ So with that I am turning right on Magnolia Street and I am going to let Don make the decision for himself.

****Six Months Later****

_(_**_Don)_**

It has been nine months since Brenna showed up at my house and now here I am, sitting in a waiting room that smells like disinfectant, at the hospital waiting on the birth of my little girl. On my right is my boss Jackson Davis and on my left is my best friend in the whole word Sam Carter, full name Samantha Carter (Yes this will be a cross over with SG-1), and before you ask yes my best friend is a girl science geek and I am jock. GET OVER IT. I still can't believe it has been 6 months since Brenna came to my house to tell me that I was going to be a dad.

_**Flashback:**_

__Knock! Knock! Knock! "I'll get it" my 13 year old brother Charles yelled as he raced to the door probably hoping it was for him. To his sole disappointment it was in fact my girlfriend Brenna O'Connor. "Is Don here" Brenna asked, "yeah he is in the living room watching boring ESPN" Charlie said. "Oh Okay thanks" she said as she squeezed passed Charlie. As she walked into the living room she glanced at all the college acceptance letters and scholarships and right then and there I could see that she almost turned around and left but in the end she didn't she was determined to let me decide and whatever I decided she would go along with.__

__"Hey Don can we talk in your room, I have something important to talk to you about in private."__

__"Ya come on lets go. Hey Charlie the TV is yours." I said as I led her up to my room on the second floor of the house. When we got there i shut the door and pulled out the chair of my desk and let Brenna take a seat on my bed and asked her "So what do you want to me about."__

__"Well do you remember prom night when we were at the after party when we slept together?"__

__"Ya barely I was pretty hammered that night."__

__"Ya well something happened and well I'm 3 months pregnant." Brenna said and sat there waiting for my reaction which was completely opposite of the reaction she expected. I could feel my face brake out into a smile and you could practically feel the happiness rolling off of me when I jumped up and picked up Brenna and spun her around and exclaimed "Oh my gosh that is so great. I'm going to be a dad." About the second spin I noticed Brenna's lack of enthusiasm and sat her back down on my bed and sat beside her and asked her "Hey what's wrong."__

__"It's just that you're so happy about this."__

__"Ya I am happy hell I am ecstatic about it. I mean ya it is really unexpected but I have always wanted to have kids and I know it will not be a cake walk but heck I still couldn't be happier. Why? Aren't you happy?"__

__"No. Not exactly, I mean ya I always knew that I would have kids but not this early and I just can't be happy about this. See you know that my parents moved down to Miami three months ago and I have been living with my cousin right now but I am planning on going down to closer to my parents. Well I am just thinking that that will be my fresh start without any of my past following me and well I just really don't want this child. In fact I have actually been thinking about adoption."__

__At this news I got up off the bed and started pacing back and forth trying to understand what she had just said. I mean if she is just going to give the kid up why come tell me. Finally after 5 minutes of pacing and thinking I stopped and turned to Brenna and said "If you have already made up your mind then why did you come and tell me."__

__"Because I knew that even though that I have made up my mind this child is still yours to and I thought that you had a right to choose what you wanted to do instead of me choosing for you."__

__"So whatever I chose you are going to abide by it to the letter."__

__"Yes"__

__"Well I am keeping the baby. Even without you here I still want to keep it even if it is a boy or a girl but before we do this I need to know some things. Are you going to be part of the baby's life yes or no?"__

__"No. Like I said I am going to get a fresh start and I want nothing to do with the child as soon as soon as it is out of me."__

__"Well then I would like to ask you that once the baby is born that you sign over your parental rights to me because I don't want you to change your mind down the line and I end up losing my child no offense but I just don't want that to happen."__

__"Fine we can have a lawyer draw up the papers before the baby is born and once it is I will sign them and the baby will be all yours but I can tell you right now that I won't be changing my mind."__

_**END OF FLASHBACK**_

I still can't understand why Brenna wants nothing to do with the baby which we found out was a girl about 3 months ago, but instead of arguing and trying to get her to see things my way I am just going let her make her own decision just like she had let me.

During the last six months I have been there every step of the way for Brenna and and our unborn child. But like Brenna I have been doing it without the support of my family. My dad Alan Eppes had been pissed when I told him that I was going to give up my scholarships to get a 9-5 job and take care of my child and he practically disowned me right then and there.

**Flashback**

_After Brenna left I started to pace around my room trying to think about what I had just committed my self to but I just couldn't get over the fact that I was going to be a dad. With that last thought I lay down on my bed and just live in the moment. Well I was able to live in the moment until I heard Dad's car pull up. _

_ Holy crap what am I going to tell him. With that I am back up and pacing faster than I have ever paced before. My whole life my parents have always ignored me in favor of my smart ass brother Charlie but the one thing they never ignored was my education. So now what was I going to do because I already knew that I couldn't go off the school with a baby on they way. Oh man. Oh man. What am I going to do. _

_ After about 2 minutes of arguing with my self I decide that I should just face my problem head on just like I face everything else so that's what I do. I walk down the stairs and into the Kitchen where dad is putting up the stuff he got at the store and say "hey dad can I talk to you for a bit."_

"_Oh hey Donny sure go ahead and talk but make it quick Charlie wants to go out for ice cream before dinner."_

"_Oh okay well you remember my girlfriend Brenna?"_

"_yes I do what about her."_

"_Well see the thing is. Sheispreganant." I say really fast"_

"_Donny if you want to talk you have to talk slower."_

_So I take a deep breath and repeat my self "Brenna is pregnant with my child. And I am planning on keeping the child, which means I won't be able to go to school this semester."_

"_WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT. I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE A HUNDRED KIDS YOU ARE GOING TO SCHOOL, END OF DISCUSSION. AND YOU WILL NOT BE KEEPING THE CHILD YOU ARE GIVING IT UP ADOPTION."_

"_NO I WON'T I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY IT IS MY CHILD AND I WILL RAISE IT IF I WANT TO."_

"_WELL THEN GET OUTT!"_

"_What?"_

"_YOU HEARD ME IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO ABIDE BY MY RULES YOU WILL NOT BE UNDER THIS ROOF SO GET OUT."_

"_FINE I WILL LEAVE IT ISN'T LIKE YOU EVER LOVED ME TO BEGIN WITH. MY ENTIRE LIFE HAS BEEN CHARLIE THIS AND CHARLIE THAT SO GOOD BYE."_

_ With that said I storm up to my room and begin packing up all my clothes and anything else I want to take because I am pretty sure that I won't be coming back any time soon and even if I did my room would already be cleaned out and given to Charlie._

**End of Flashback**

Charlie on the other hand who was way to smart for his own good was over the moon that he was going to be an uncle.

**Flashback**

_As I loading the last of my things into Sam's truck he lent she lent me earlier that day because she was using my motorcycle Charlie comes out of the house._

"_Is it true?" he asks me_

"_Is what true Chuck?"_

"_Don't call me that and is it true that I am going to be an uncle."_

"_yest it is true are you here to yell and tell me that I should give up the baby to because if you are then get lost."_

"_No I am not I was actually wondering if I would be able to see my soon to be niece or nephew when I come back for the summer."_

**End of Flashback**

But that all changed when he went of to Princeton in September with dad because when he came back he told me straight up that unless I ditched the girl and the kid and take my scholarships back that I could stay out of his life. So I have been doing everything by myself with the help of a few close friends and my boss of all people, but I expected this type of reaction with my family. Mostly because I have always been the disappointment child it just got a lot worse after Mom passed away.

See when my family found out that charlie was a genius, my parents literally started to fall head over heels to help him while they pushed me to the side. When I was younger I did everything I could to get my parents attention: I became the all star of my schools baseball team, I did all of his chores and then charlies, heck I even wrote a letter to Santa when I was eight just so my parents would read that all I wanted for Christmas was a real family, but nothing worked. The only comfort thought I have was when my mother had been on her death bed 3 year ago and she confessed how she failed as my mother and that she was sorry for how I was treated. But still it is really sad when you can't even lean on your family in a time like this.

Hell it was my father's old colleague who was basically my role model while growing up and he even put out some feelers for good paying jobs for me when I told him that I had chose to support my child instead of going to college right away. See I have been taking online college classes in General Education and majoring in Criminology so no matter what my dad says I am still going to school. Right now I am working as a construction worker 5 days of the week with a high end company and am doing pretty good. But I am planning on joining the FBI after I get all my degrees so this job is only temporary.

Also with all the money I saved up during high school as well as what I am making now I was able to buy a house. The house I bought I got in a bank auction after it was foreclosed on and only cost me like ¼ the market price. Mostly because the people who lived in it before me never did any maintenance on it so it looked like crap, but I could see the diamond in it so I took a chance, and I am so glad I did. Heck it only took me and some friends of mine from high school and my job 3 months to have it fixed back up to middle class standards and now it's market value it almost twice what it had been when I bought it. So now here I am living in a nice house in a low crime neighborhood with a good paying job, I am taking classes online, and I have a baby on the way, what else could I ask for. I mean sure this far from my baseball dream but I still wouldn't give it up for nothing. _(When thinking of his house think of the Trager house on Kyle XY or the house off of Zathura. Amanda's room is where Josh's is but with a path way leading into where Lorie's room was which will be her play room.)_

Right at that moment a nurse that looked like she belonged in a legally blonde movie walked out into the waiting room and knocked me out of my thoughts by calling "Donald Eppes". I stood up and walked over and said "I am Donald Eppes but I would appreciate it if you called me Don I hate the the name Donald." "Of course sir I am sorry, now if you will please follow me I will take you to see your daughter." And with that she turned and started walking down the hallway.

The nurse led me to the nursery window where there was about 40 babies sleeping. The nurse Stacy said that my daughter was in the crib marked O'Connor/Eppes. As soon as I saw her I couldn't do anything but stare at my little girl I mean she was so small but all in all she was still perfect. I was so out of it that Stacy had to snap her fingers in front of my face to get my attention. When I finally paid attention to Stacy she asked "So do you have a name picked out because the mother said it was your decision and since she already singed over her paternal rights to you almost as soon as she was done with the delivery her choice wouldn't matter anyway so it is up to you."

"Yes." I answered her almost immediately "My daughters name is Amanda O'Connor Eppes, even though her mother doesn't want anything to do with her I still think that it would be the right thing to do to honor the person who brought her into this world."

"Okay well her mother is room 402 but has asked to not have any visitors and your daughter will be ready for visitors in about an hour all we have to do is run the standard after birth tests to make sure she is completely healthy. After that and if everything is normal she will be able to go home in three days so just make sure you have everything in order then. Okay!" after she saw me nod she continued "Now we are about to take her back for tests so why don't you go back out to the waiting room and wait and I will come get you when we are done."

With that said I took a quick pic of Amanda with my phone and left to go back out and wait. As soon as I stepped into the room Jackson and Sam were there popping off questions left and right.

"Hey Hey Hey" I said as I covered my ears " not so fast okay, now they have to run the standard tests on her and then we will be able to see and hold her. Now if you check your phones you should have just received the picture of her I sent. Oh and also Brenna asked for no visitors and she already signed the Parental Rights Papers which are being filled and copied by the hospital and then we will receive the originals. Now let's sit down and wait quietly please." After I said that they both whipped out their phones and started cooing over the picture lost in thought so I sat down to rest and try to not worry about the tests that the doctor was doing right now. As I was sitting there my mind drifted over my mental checklist I made after reading tones of parenting books.

** 1.**The first thing on my list after buying and fixing up my house was a nursery which I had completed and fully stalked with clothes, diapers, and everything else needed in less than a month. Also instead of me picking out the colors of the nursery I allowed Sam to do that so I would not be blamed for my daughter living in a male dominate environment or at least that is what Sam said when she came over one day and stated that she was in charge of the nursery's color scheme. So now Amanda's room has air force blue walls will purple and pink polka-dots in all sizes all over the walls. The carpet was white with blue, pink and purple polka-dots on it and the ceiling was dark blue with glow in the dark stars painted on it in the form of all the zodiac constellations but Amanda's zodiac sign which is Aquarius is the biggest. (Yes my daughter is a January Baby born January 22, 2009.) Then I went out to the store by myself and without the help of Sam to pick out Mandy's (Amanda) furniture which ended up being a white (_**DaVinci Kalani 4-in-1 Convertible Crib Set w/ Full/Twin Size Bed Rail**_) with a matching: dresser that was placed in her closet _(_**_**Bellini Modern Living**_**_** Venezia 6 Drawer Dresser)**_, changing table _**(Dream On Me Marcus Changing**__**Table and Dresser - White)**_, rocking chair _**(Adult Rocking Chair in White)**_, bookcase for when she was older (South Shore 3 Piece Bookcase Set in Pure White)_**, **_and toy box which was placed under a window _**(Sauder Beginnings Toy Chest, Soft White)**_ but since most of her toys will be in her playroom which was also fully stalked with toys and what not she only need a small. Also the walls and carpet of her play room were the same as her room and on both of the doorways were white play gates so she would not crawl out of there and fall down the stairs. On the door to her room was her name in light blue and on her playroom door was her name as well just in pink and purple. Now along with her furniture I went ahead and got her a stroller and car seat set.**(**_**Graco Carina Gear Collection Bundle**_**)**

The next thing on my list was trading in my motorcycle, which was a brand new black and silver _**(2008 Suzuki B-King GSX1300BK**_)that just came out that year, for a safer car which ended up being a black 2008 Chevrolet Suburban LT1 1500 2WD**.**

3\. After the new car the next thing I had to do was baby proof my house and around the yard which took me 3 entire weekends but now the house was baby proofed and the yard had nothing dangerous in it. I even replaced parts of the fence in the back that was rotting. Jackson put in a few words with a guy he knew that built customized playgrounds and had him build one for me for almost next to nothing because he used leftover wood and materials from other projects where parents kept changing their minds after paying for the materials so he got to keep them. (_**Congo Monkey Play Set Package #5)**_

**4\. **Finally all that that was left to do was for me to insert the car seat into my car which I had done last week so all that was finished and my check list was complete_._

Now here I am, back in the waiting room, waiting to hold Amanda for the first time.

The next thing I knew was that I was being shook awake by Jackson and Sam with nurse Stacy standing behind them saying that my daughter could have visitors now but we would have to keep it short because visiting hours was almost up. When Sam heard that she said "Well how about since there isn't much time why don't you just go back there Don while me and Jackson wait here and we can see her tomorrow." "Ya Don go back there and see your girl." Jackson added. So with that I got up alone without argument to go and hold Amanda for the first time.

Now as I am again walking down the white hallway on my way to see my daughter, Stacy is explaining that all of Amanda's test came back clear but she should have annual 3 month check ups until her first year just to stay safe on anything. Then as we turn the corner I stop dead in my tracks because in front of the nursery window is Brenna fully clothed with a fully packed suitcase. After Stacy snaps me out of my trance again I walk up to my ex-girlfriend and say.

"Hey Brenna why are you already up, shouldn't you be resting."

"Oh hey Don the doctor just cleared me so I discharged myself against his wishes about a one night observation and I already booked my flight for Miami but I just wanted to say goodbye to you before I left."

"Oh well do you want to stay a bit so you can hold her once before you leave."

"No my flight is already booked and as I said before I don't want to be part of her life so it is better this way. So goodbye and good luck and one more thing my parents don't know about her and you are the only one I have told about my childhood so I don't think it would be a good idea if they found out. Later." She turned around and left me standing by the nursery window watching her walk out on Amanda but this time I didn't go into a trance because I have to be strong for Amanda. So I turn back to Stacy, who then leads me into the nursery where Amanda is. "Just take a seat in the rocking chair over there in the corner and I will bring Amanda over there to you." I do as Stacy says and before I can gather anymore thoughts after I sit down Stacy is right there with my baby girl in her arms. I immediately make an award cradle with my arms, just like Jackson showed me after work one night. At first when Mandy is placed in the cradle I tense up thinking I might drop her but as soon as I look down and see my daughter's sleeping face all my worries about everything disappears and all that is there is Amanda. For the entire half hour that I have left I spend it just sitting there rocking Amanda and staring at her but before I leave I have nurse Stacy snap a picture of me holding Mandy with my phone. I leave after I carefully place Mandy back in her bed with a silent good night.

Three days later I took Amanda home from the hospital and was a very happy father until I learned the perks of a newborns sleeping habits. But I still would not give up my daughter for anything.

(Brenna)

As my plane lands in Miami I don't have a care in the world and I plan on keeping it that way.

(Alan)

How could Donny give up his whole life over one kid I mean come on he is not even 20 yet. He will not be able to raise a child. Alan's thoughts are interrupted with a message from Don.

_Hey dad I know how you feel about my choice and I don't want you around if you can not understand why I did what I did. You always told me that all that matters about what you do in life is if it makes you happy. Well look at this photograph and try and tell me any other time in my life that I was happier than I am now._

Attached to the message was the picture of Don holding Amanda in the hospital and Alan had to admit that Don really was happy but it didn't matter because Don had went against his wishes about college. So with that thought Alan deleted the message along with the photo and he deleted Don's number off of his phone.

(Charlie)

How could my brother give up a free ride for college for a kid. I mean I know he feels responsible but giving up school for a baby is crazy. I can't believe that he did that, hell dad was right Don made a stupid choice and I need to stay away from him.

****PLEASE REVIEW I LOVE READING WHAT EVERYONE THINKS EVEN IF THEY ARE NEGATIVE****


	2. ATTENTION

ATTENTION MY READERS I WILL BE POSTING THE NEXT CHAPTER OF MY STORY TOMORROW ALONG WITH A REWRITE OF THE FIRST CHAPTER THAT WILL HAVE PLENTY OF MORE DETAILS SO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU COME TO READ MY NEXT CHAPTER THAT YOU REREAD THE FIRST SO YOU WILL UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE CHANGES AND DON'S POINT OF VIEW


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